Public buses rolling into the suburbs

Monday

Feb 25, 2013 at 6:00 AMFeb 25, 2013 at 6:13 PM

Driving is a way of life in the suburbs. With the decline of downtown shopping districts and the expansion of far-flung office parks and subdivisions, it's hard to get around without at least one car — and typically several — per household. But more outlying towns are looking to introduce or expand regional bus service. Northbridge became the latest town to join the Worcester Regional Transit Authority last week, bringing the number of communities served by the WRTA to 35.

By Susan Spencer TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

Driving is a way of life in the suburbs. With the decline of downtown shopping districts and the expansion of far-flung office parks and subdivisions, it's hard to get around without at least one car — and typically several — per household.

But more outlying towns are looking to introduce or expand regional bus service. Prompted by economic development interests as well as residents and the local workforce put off by high gas prices and traffic congestion, boards of selectmen and regional planners are hoping that enhanced public transportation will alleviate a major downside of suburban sprawl.

Northbridge became the latest town to join the Worcester Regional Transit Authority last week, bringing the number of communities served by the WRTA to 35.

The WRTA is one of 15 regional public transportation authorities, outside of the MBTA, in the state. Regional transit authorities receive up to 75 percent of their funding from the state and much of the rest from fare receipts.

Northbridge Town Manager Theodore D. Kozak said he anticipated one or two bus routes would be running by this summer.

“I can't say people were knocking on our door (demanding service), but there's been a need for transportation down here in the lower Blackstone Valley,” Mr. Kozak said.

One proposed route would go from the center of Whitinsville along Church Street to Plummers Corner and the Shaw's shopping plaza, and then head along Route 122 to Grafton and the MBTA commuter rail station on Route 30.

Another would extend north to the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley in Millbury.

Mr. Kozak said he saw “lots of positives” with introducing bus service, particularly for people who couldn't afford a car or didn't drive.

And Northbridge, like other communities within two contiguous towns from MBTA service, has for years been assessed annually for the MBTA without benefiting from local service.

Mr. Kozak said that under the governor's budget for fiscal 2014, the town's MBTA assessment would reduce its local aid by $103,000. Now a portion of that assessment will go to the WRTA.

WRTA Administrator Stephen O'Neil said his agency has been making the rounds of suburban towns in the past year to talk about adding transit service.

The unused MBTA assessments are part of the motivation. “In my mind, that's free money,” he said. “We're trying to demonstrate that we could put more service out to the towns.”

Mr. O'Neil said a new route began in January serving Southbridge, Charlton and Auburn. Paxton and Westboro were also exploring new service.

Barbara Clifford, president of Corridor Nine Chamber of Commerce in Westboro, said, “It's desired by the town (of Westboro) and by the business community because of some of the difficulties we have with traffic. It's the employers we need to work with to see what it is they want.”

Although commuters going into Boston have benefited from commuter rail service to towns such as Westboro and Grafton, reverse commuters coming to work in Worcester County haven't had such options.

“It seems to me that people in this area are used to driving everywhere; but young people who come here to work from Boston don't have cars,” Ms. Clifford said. “If we're to attract young people too, it would behoove us to have public transportation and trains.”

Corridor Nine and Westboro officials are talking to the WRTA about shuttle vans running from the MBTA train station to office parks and large employers.

Ms. Clifford said transit, if designed properly, would attract business and a highly skilled workforce and get cars off the road. “There's so many layers of things this could improve,” she said.

Area residents and business owners will have a chance to weigh in on new local bus service at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Grafton Municipal Center. Grafton Town Administrator Timothy P. McInerney said the WRTA would present an overview of transit options and town officials would listen to feedback about what potential riders might want.

“I'm not just going to do it to do it,” Mr. McInerney said.

He said he'd hope that if the town signed on for service, there would be at least 800 to 1,200 riders in the first 90 days. Whatever service is agreed to would have to be competitively priced, too.

Mr. McInerney envisioned stops in South Grafton at the Community House, at the Municipal Center, perhaps One Grafton Common, Stop & Shop, CVS, the MBTA station and Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

Another possible route could go to Millbury and the Shoppes at Blackstone Valley.

“I say all this not knowing what people want,” he said.

Grafton is assessed around $112,000 for the MBTA, Mr. McInerney said, “so we would leverage that to the RTA and they would provide some service.”

Millbury, which has had some WRTA service for years, just added Saturday service to the mall in January. Last year it expanded routes in the center of town.

“The reason they're doing this is ridership is up,” said Town Manager Robert J. Spain Jr.

“You get both people that can't afford other forms of transportation or people who like to use public transportation. They can go to work in Worcester and don't have to take a car,” he said.

Mr. Spain said Millbury has had a roughly $40,000 assessment for the MBTA, which irked him because the train doesn't stop in Millbury, and a $46,000 assessment for the WRTA.

The governor's proposed fiscal 2014 budget lists a $90,000 assessment for Millbury, all in the WRTA category, according to Mr. Spain.

He said, “Considering we're a suburb town, I think we're getting good service.”

The challenge for growing regional transit is whether suburban commuters will be persuaded to give up the ingrained habit and flexibility of driving their cars.

Mr. O'Neil said that with technology that tracks and communicates to riders information about their routes, up-to-date maintenance and cleaning systems and on-board video cameras, riders will be won over by the convenience, safety, reasonable cost and efficiency of transit.

“One thing we want to do is reach out to younger demographics with technology. They can follow (their bus or van) through mobile applications,” Mr. O'Neil said.

An iPhone or Android app, as well as the WRTA's website, www.therta.com, gives real-time information on where a vehicle is and how long until the next one arrives at a stop. Riders can sign up for text message or phone alerts about their routes. And on-board trackers count the time and number of people who get on and off at any given stop so service can be adjusted based on demand.